There are over six million jobs in sport-related careers, a field which was once an exclusively male preserve. Over the past 30 years, barriers to the employment of women have diminished. Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments Act (a federal law that prohibits discrimination against women in secondary and post-secondary educational institutions) eliminated quotas on the admission of women students to law, medical and business schools, allowing women to get the educational credentials they needed to pursue their career interests in sports - from sports medicine to player agent/attorney. Title IX required that women get the same chance as men to play varsity sports and opened the high school and college coaching and athletic management professions to women. Similarly, equal opportunity employment laws of the '70's had a huge impact on professional job opportunities in the sporting goods manufacturing industry which were occupied by a 95% male work force. At that time, this industry produced little or nothing for female consumers. In the 1970's, women were almost non-existent in the sports media where 99% of television hours and print column inches were devoted to men's sports. Similarly, at retail and in the world of sports sponsorships, the marketing of sports to the public was basically a male domain - males selling men's sports and men's sport products to male participants and male-led corporations.
Even though the sports industry is still predominantly male and more subtle methods of discrimination remain, most of the overt barriers are down or in the process of coming down. Men and women who grew up in the '70s and thereafter believed that their daughters could and should play sports and become anything they wished. These parents are now the 40-50 year olds in the workforce who are attaining the seniority necessary to hold the pursestrings for sports sponsorships and the hiring and decision-making power in sports-related businesses. While some dinosaurs remain, most of the employment and other barriers should be completely removed over the next decade.
That process of welcoming women to the sports-careers workforce has been hastened by five developments which are fueling demand for the female professional:
The active female consumer. When women were given the opportunity to play sports through Title IX, they became a driving force for a major cultural revolution in the nature of the American woman. In 1972, only 1 in 27 high school girls played sports. That figure today in 1 in 3. The active female is now a hot new participant market whose size is equal to the relatively stagnant men's market for sporting goods and apparel. Since 1991 women have outpurchased men in athletic shoes and apparel. She also proportionally outpurchases her male counterpart. For instance, only 20% of all golfers are women who buy fifty per cent of all golf product with the exception of clubs (because most golfers only have one set). Corporations are hiring women who understand what women want and can help them produce products for, market and sell to this new large and lucrative active female consumer. Women professionals are in great demand because corporations are learning that the female consumer is very different than the male consumer in shopping habits and product desires.
Females as spectators of men's and women's sports. Close to forty percent of the consumers of men's professional sports are women. She is attending games, watching on television and purchasing licensed product. She has been given the chance to play, understands the game and has developed into just as passionate a spectator as her male counterpart. The NHL, MLB, NHL, NASCAR and the NFL have all established special units to market to the new female consumer and they are all hiring women to give them an edge in understanding the needs of this market. The sports industry now believes that women customers will be half of their business so women are increasingly accepted in men's sports. Many women are working in professional men's league and franchise offices in jobs that were previously dominated by men.
Males and females as spectators of women's sports. Men and women spectators have discovered that when women are given the chance to play, they become just as exceptionally skilled as their brothers - good enough to become professional athletes and be sought after for product endorsements. Three new professional leagues for women were established in the 12 months following the 1996 Olympic Games in which women starred and the television audience was 65% female. All of these leagues need everything from general managers to public relations directors to a ticket sales force and most are hiring equal numbers of men and women, seeking a large women's presence to provide insight into this new market. The number of franchises in all of these leagues will probably double over the next ten years.
Women's sports being accepted by the sports media. Shape and Fitness were launched to mine the women's fitness boom of the 80's and 90's. Women's Sports + Fitness, founded by Billie Jean King in 1974, was the only "real" women's sports focused national magazine until 1997 when two major publishing empire supported women's sports mags were launched: Conde Nast Sports for Women and Sport Illustrated Woman. Both publications hired predominantly female staffs to reach this newly sought after consumer of sports. The niche sport magazines like Runners World and FitnessSwimmer are similarly increasing their coverage of women in their respective sports and number of women writers and editors. In the heavily male dominated world of newspaper sports journalism, the percent of women in the profession doubled during the 1980's and should double again in the 90's.
Corporations using sports to sell to women. From JCPenney to Evian, there are many major corporations outside the sporting goods manufacturing world that realize 70-80% of their consumers are women who no longer view themselves as the stereotypical "twiggies" or "sex objects." This female consumer has become more active over the past two decades, stronger and more confident. Corporations, seeking to appeal to the female consumer, are developing messages that appeal to this more active woman. They are using professional and Olympic female athletes as aspirational advertising images. They are hiring female employees in their sports marketing units and beginning to put money and female employees behind women's sports events. When they sponsor women's sports events, they are making sure that purses are equal to counterpart men's events. They are not risking the wrath of a female consumer who might charge them with lack of respect. These corporations know that hiring females and funding women's events are important ways to generate customer loyalty.
These developments have created exciting sports career opportunities. However, women entering these fields must be prepared to face stiff job competition and the vestiges of gender discrimination in an historically male-dominated and very popular field. Seven "must do" tips will contribute to successful placement in the sports career she desires:
Self-evaluation and exploration of career options. Loving sports is not enough. Assess your skills and determine how to translate them into a career in sports. Write to the professional organizations listed for the fields that interest you, talk to people who are already in the field, head for the library, read applicable journals and other publications.
Goal-setting. Think about what you want in terms of salary, responsibilities, location and advancement opportunities, and think about what talents you have to offer, what interests you want ot pursue. Career planning is a process. You may not know exactly what you want right away, but the better defined your goal, the easier the rest of the process becomes.
Education. Almost every career has bottom-line educational requirements and skill sets. Career research and the advice of guidance counselors can help you construct an educational program to fit your needs. Liberal arts and general degree programs (i.e. communications, journalism, english, etc.) are all transferable to most sport-related careers). Your training need not be sports specific.
Experience. Internships, work-study, part-time and summer jobs are all good sources of experience that can help you prepare for a career. Most important, these low paying opportunities give your employer a low-risk opportunity to assess your talents. If you are good, the employer will offer you a job or help you find one in the field. Don't underestimate the critical importance of these sources of job experience. The more directed this sort of experience is, the more connected it is to your goals, the more impressive it will be on a job application or resume. Your can also use work experience as a laboratory to test your career goals and add information to your job research files.
Entering the job market. Look for entry-level positions or positions that match your experience that can be paths to your career goal. Talk to your contacts and let them know you are looking for work.. Check standard job listing - newspapers, professional journals, placement services and the internet. Prepare and distribute your resume. Be aggressive. Follow every lead. Be persistent. Be prepared to take low-paying jobs because everyone wants to be in the sports business and your male competitor is willing to take that position at that price. As you prove your worth, your salary will increase. Send your resume to all the possible job sources your research has unearthed - whether or not you know that a job is available. Getting a job is sometimes just a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
Networking. Join professional organizations, attend regional and national conferences, start a contact list, find out how to gain access to key decision makers. Seek out a mentor - someone who can assist you in your process. Volunteer for committee service in professional organizations so you and your work get to be known by people who can help you.
Risk-taking. Apply for jobs even if you lack a few of the listed qualifications. You may have other strengths the employer wants more than the skills you don't have. Many women feel they have to have experience, credentials or training for positions and don't even apply. Most men who have ever played sports believe they can do any job in the industry and are convinced that jobs are learned by trial and error once you are in them. These are the people you are competing with in your job search. Be confident during your interview and sell your work ethic, competence and intelligence.